Government, Private Sector Strengthen Tourism Industry

Minister of Tourism Josefina Rodríguez pledged to deepen collaboration with the private sector to strengthen the country’s position as one of the world’s top tourist destinations during a meeting with the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur).

Rodríguez addressed the group’s Executive Committee, emphasizing the importance of building trust between the government and business leaders to achieve the tourism goals outlined by President Claudia Sheinbaum under Plan México. The strategy seeks to consolidate Mexico as the fifth most-visited country worldwide.

“I want us to become ambassadors of our own country,” Rodríguez said. “If we form a network of voices saying, ‘Come to Mexico,’ we can become millions of tourism ambassadors.”

The minister highlighted the launch of the first National Campaign of Tourism Self-Verification 2025, which allows service providers to voluntarily and digitally evaluate compliance with best practices. To date, more than 3,000 businesses have joined the program, which runs until Aug. 30.

As part of Mexico’s international promotion strategy, Rodríguez announced that the country will participate in eight roadshows across the United States and Canada and will showcase the Mexico brand at 15 global tourism fairs in 2026, a year she described as “historic for the sector.” She also presented initiatives such as the Community Distinction and the Guide of Community Experiences, designed to strengthen sustainable and inclusive tourism while generating shared prosperity.

Rodríguez thanked Concanaco Servytur President Octavio de la Torre for the invitation and recognized the growing role of women leaders in Mexico’s tourism and business sectors.

“Mexico is already the sixth tourism power in the world,” Rodríguez Zamora said. “Working hand in hand with the private sector, we will consolidate a more diverse, sustainable and high-quality tourism industry that creates economic and social well-being for all communities.”

Mexico Marks a 7.3% Increase in International Tourists

In related news, MBN reported in mid August that between January and June 2025, Mexico received 23.4 million international visitors, marking a 7.3% increase compared to the same months in 2024, according to Rodríguez. Of this total, 12.1 million arrived by air, a 16% year-on-year drop, while land crossings climbed 18.5% to 1.9 million. The numbers do not include same-day travelers or cruise passengers.

During the first half of the year, airports in Mexico handled 94.5 million passengers. Mexico City International Airport (AICM) registered the highest traffic with 21.6 million travelers, followed by Cancun with 15.6 million and Guadalajara. Other important hubs included Monterrey, Tijuana, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Merida, Leon, and AIFA.

Arrivals from the United States rose 2.4% to 7.3 million, with 1.2 million in June alone, while Canadian tourism surged 11.8% to 1.6 million. Air capacity between Mexico and the United States grew to 4.6 million seats (+5.5%), consolidating the route as the world’s second-busiest after Spain and the United Kingdom. Visitor spending reached US$16.68 billion, up 6.3%. Cruise tourism also expanded, with passenger volume rising 9.6% to 5.7 million, while the number of female travelers increased 1.8%.